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Sunday, December 13, 2015

Third Sunday of Advent: A Righteous Branch

This is the third Sunday of Advent. We saw hope the first week when we read Genesis 3:15 where God promised to send someone who would overcome Satan. We saw hope last week as God revealed more of His plan to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

This week we
will read passages about David being anointed king of Israel and about God's promise to
raise up a ruler from David’s line whose kingdom will last forever. Israel had great hope because a righteous ruler was coming! We have hope because God always keeps His promises.

Then all the tribes of Israel came to
David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In
times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought
in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of
my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” 3 So
all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a
covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David
king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when
he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At
Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem
he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

11 “’When your days are fulfilled to walk with
your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons,
and I will establish his kingdom.12 He shall build a
house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I
will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my
steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but
I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall
be established forever.’” 15 In accordance with all
these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

14 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’"

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth;then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.5 And he shall be their peace.